diff --git a/src/masterMacsAxis.cpp b/src/masterMacsAxis.cpp
index ab0d1e8..3693ec8 100644
--- a/src/masterMacsAxis.cpp
+++ b/src/masterMacsAxis.cpp
@@ -138,6 +138,20 @@ masterMacsAxis::masterMacsAxis(masterMacsController *pC, int axisNo)
             pC_->portName, axisNo, __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, __LINE__,
             pC_->stringifyAsynStatus(status));
     }
+
+    // Even though this happens already in sinqAxis, a default value for
+    // motorMessageText is set here again, because apparently the sinqAxis
+    // constructor is not run before the string is accessed?
+    status = setStringParam(pC_->motorMessageText(), "");
+    if (status != asynSuccess) {
+        asynPrint(pC_->pasynUser(), ASYN_TRACE_ERROR,
+                  "Controller \"%s\", axis %d => %s, line %d:\nFATAL ERROR "
+                  "(setting a parameter value failed "
+                  "with %s)\n. Terminating IOC",
+                  pC_->portName, axisNo_, __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, __LINE__,
+                  pC_->stringifyAsynStatus(status));
+        exit(-1);
+    }
 }
 
 masterMacsAxis::~masterMacsAxis(void) {